Valve-spring-lifter lock



July 10, 1923- 1,461,275 H. w. KULP ET AL VALVE SPRING LIFTER LOCK Fild March 1921 Patented July '10, 1923.

EAR-BY w. KULP AND MARTIN C. DELLINGEB, LANCASTER, PSYIILVANIA.

waLvn-srame-mr'rna LOCK.

Application filed March 9, 1921. Serial at. 450,902.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that HARRY W. KULP and MARTIN C. DELLINGER, citizens of the United States, residing at Lancaster, in the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Valve-Spring-Lifter Locks, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to valve spring lifters, and more particularl to a locking device for automatically hol ing or securing the lifter in any one of a wide range of varying positions. I

The main urpose of the invention is to counteract t e force of the compressed spring in the operation of the tool. The tendency of the compressed spring is to close the jaws, thereby spreading the handles. This, of course, necessitates a continuous squeezingaaction on the handles by the operator. ut, to be of an realuse, the lock must be entirely automatic and instantly operative, so that the handles will be arrested the instant that the spring starts their closing movements. Also, it must be so constructed and arran ed that it may be 111- stantl released so t at the tool may be remove And, as a practical commercial device, it should not project through or beyond either handle, but should lie entirely between them, at all times. The present in vention is designed especially to accomplish these and other purposes and to-provid'e a simple, compact, inexpensive, sensitive, automatic lock. of-the character described.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the invention, with the handles open, and the top or upper handle broken away, to more clearly show the operation of the locking plate;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section throu h the upper handle member in the rear of t e locking plate, elevation, looking i i Fi 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the locking plate released, and

Fig.4 is a similar view, showing the plate in holding position, binding against the op posite sides or edges of the bar.

The lifter, as a whole, is constructed and o rates as in the rior Patent 1,330,542, H.

Kulp, granted Feb. 10, 1920 to which reference is hereby made. To the inner face in the direction of the showing the locking plate in therg sary to press forw'a ofone of the handles 1 is movably secured an arcuate bar 2 having a lower ratchet edge 3. A pivot pin 4, passed through the end of the bar and the upturned side walla X of the handle, permits free swinging movement of the bar relatively to the handle. Through a lateral slot 5 in the other handle, slightly to the rear of the pivot pin 4, is extended a locking plate 6 having shoulders 7 adapted to engage the outer face of, the handle to prevent the plate from passing in. wardly completely through the handle,

while at the same time providing a rocking edge or fulcrum on which the plate may be rocked, for a, purpose to be later disclosed. The part projecting through the handle is provided with an opening 8 of substantiallythe same size and shape-as a lateral crosssection of the bar 2 and adapted to slidably receive the bar. On reference to Fig. 1, more es cially, it will be seen that the plate 6 exten at a slight angle to the radius of the bar 2. The result is a bindingv action between the ratchet edge 3 and conta'c'tin inner wall of opening 8, on the one han and a similar engagement between the inner wall at the opposite end of opening 8 and the other edge of the bar 2. .This en the handle will, obviously, increase the,

binding or looking action between plate 6 and bar 2. On the other hand, any closing action of the handles will act reversely, the engaged tooth of bar 2 carrying the inner end of plate 6 rearwardly until it reaches a position substantially radial to the are of ar 2. It will then escape from that tooth and its spring will draw it into en agement with the next tooth, making an au ible click as it engages. The bar, swinging downwardl on its pivot, as" the handles approach eac other, will slide freely through the opening; in the late. Any efiort to spread the handles wi I meet with the same result as before. Thus, the handles are automatically locked against spreading, at ractically' any desired point, the ratchet teet being comparatively small and closey'spaced. In order to efiect quick release 0 ate, it is only; necesthe head llzofplate tially radial to the arc of bar 2. The bar will then slide freely through plate 6, in

- either direction. The head is so placed and o enin'e" 8.

constructed as to be readily en ed by the thumb of the operator when usmgthe tool. Preferably, the free end of the bar is tapered or bevelled, as at 12, so that it may be readily and quickly inserted through the It is thought that the construction, opera tion, and use of the invention will be clear from the preceding detailed description.

It is clear that the invention may be equally Well applied to many other tools and implements than the one shown, the one shown serving simply as an illuaration of one general use.

Obviously, changes may be made in the construction, arrangement and disposition of the several parts of the invention, within the scope of the claims, and it is meant to include all such. Within this application wherein only 'one preferred form has been disclosed, by ay of illustration.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

i. In combination in a valve spring litter, a pair of movably mounted handles, a bar movably mounted in one of said handles at all times lying entirely between said handles, and a locking plate extending through the other handle and operatively engaging said bar.

. 2. -in combination'in a valve spring lifter, a pair of movably mounted handles, a bar movably mounted in one of said handles and at all times lying entirely between said handies, locking plate extending through the other handle and operatively engaging said her, and means for disengaging said locking plate.

3. in combination in a valve spring lifter,

a pair of movably mounted handles, a h r movahly mounted in one or said handles and at all times lying entirely between said handies, locking plate extending through the other handle and operatively engaging said her, and means for maintaining said locking plate normally in engagement. i

i. in combination in a. valve spring lifter, a pair of movably mounted handles, a bar movably mounted in one of said handles and at all times lying entirely between said handies, a locking plate extending" through mother handle operatively enga ing said bar, means for maintaining sai loclring plate normally in engagement, and means for disenga mg said plate.

5. in combination in a valve spring litter,

' apair of movably mounted handles, a yaw carrled by each handle, an aronate bar movahly mounted in one of said hen-dies andlying entirely between said handles at times, and

remove locking means engaging said bar, and

preventing movement of said handles to close the jaws thereof.

6. In combination in a valve spring lifter, a pair of movabl mounted handles, an arcuate bar movab mounted in one of said handles and provided with ratchet teeth on its concave ed o, and a locking plate rockably mounted in t e other handle and provided with an opening adapted to slidably receive said bar in such manner that its opposite Walls will enga said ratchet teeth and the convex edge 0 the aforesaid bar, respectively, said plate being provided With a head projecting beyond the handle and adapted .to be engaged to release the loclrin plate.

7. In combination in a valve spring lifter, a. pair of movably mounted handles, a jaw carried by each handle, an arcuate bar movabl mounted in one of said handles, and a loo ing plate movabl mounted in the other handle and provide with an opening to slidably receive said bar, said plate engaging said bar and automatically locking the same to prevent movement of said handles to close the 'aws carried thereby.

8. in com ination in a valve spring lifter,

- a pair of movably mounted handles, an arcuate bar movably mounted in one of said handles and having one ratchet edge and an opposite smooth edge, and a locking plate movably mounted in the other handle provided with an opening to slidably receive said bar, said plate being adapted to simultaneously en age the opposite edge of said bar to bind e same and lock the litter adjusted position.

v 9. in combination in a valve spring lifter, a pair of movably mounted handles, an arcuate bar movably mounted in one oi said handles and having one ratchet wge and an opposite smooth edge, a locking plate movably mounted in the other handle and provided with an opening to slidably receive said bar, said plate being adapted to simultaneously gage the opposite edges of said her bind the same and lock the litter in adjusted position, and means for maintaining said plate in engagement with said bar.

10. in combination in' a valve spring litter, a pair of movably mounted handles, an arcuate bar movably mounted in one of handles and havi'n one ratchet edge and op osite smooth edge, a locking plate movah y mounted in the other handle and provided with an opening to slidahly rwoive said her, said plate being adapted to simnltaneously engage oppom'te ed es of said bar to bind the some and loci: t is litter in adjusted position, means for maintaining said plate in engagement with said bar, and thumb piece extending from said plate by Which said plate may he actuated to releasa pair of movably-mountedhandles, a bar k means for normally maintaining 100 'ng engagement of said plate thumb iece extendin adapte to be engage to releasing osit-ion.

12. In com ination in a valve spring lifter, a pair of movably mounted handles, a bar movably mounted in one of said hand'es and at all times lying entirely between said handles, a locking plateextending through the other handle and operatively engaging said with said bar, and a from said plate and to actuate said plate bar and being adapted to be automatically disengaged by closing of the aforesaid handles, and means normally maintaining said locking plate in operative locking engagement with said bar. I

13.- In combination in a valve spring lifter, a pair of movably mounted handles, a barmovablfi mounted in one of said handles and at a times lying entirely between said handles, a. locking plate extending through the other handle and. operatively engaging said bar and being adapted to be automatically disengaged by closing of the aforesaid handles, and means normally maintaining said lockin' plate in operative locking engagement W151 said bar, said plate being provided with a thumb piece whereby it may be rocked to release said bar,

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' HARRY W. KULP;

MARTIN C. DELLINGER. W itness es: I y

R. BURKHART, FRANK J. HAGAN. 

